CFC overhaul

Feb. 3, 2013 - 11:34AM
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Every day the picture for government employees looks more tenuous. Why would anyone not expect the numbers at the Combined Federal Campaign to plummet?

No overhaul required — simply dump the program. If people wish to give, let them find their own charities.

Fred Moore

Grovetown, Ga.

Of course Combined Federal Campaign contributions are shrinking. Federal workers’ pay has been frozen for 2½ years, and now Congress is debating extending the freeze. Federal workers are fed up with abuse from the public and lawmakers.

The Office of Personnel Management asked workers if we would be willing to donate to charities through the Combined Federal Campaign when the price of everything — except federal salaries — was skyrocketing. Of course contributions declined; that is one way the federal workforce’s dissatisfaction with the pay freeze and ongoing slander is manifesting itself.

There is no need to overhaul the Combined Federal Campaign. It doesn’t need an overhaul. When the pay freeze is over and federal workers begin receiving their due, then contributions will start to increase.

Jeffrey Cross, Coast Guard Civil Engineering Unit

Oakland, Calif.

The Jan. 21 article posited that Superstorm Sandy and cuts in cost-of-living adjustments cuts caused declining CFC donations. For me, the great insult to donors is the inclusion of “charities” that do not help struggling people.

A couple of years ago, I was stunned to see Pheasants Forever, which is a hunters’ organization, included. Now we have many variations on Save the Dogs, which does not fit human-centered moral priorities. Trust me, dog lovers can locate their charities without this help.

United Way and CFC have hurt themselves with a too-wide agenda diverging from the traditional people-centered charities. When you see your favorite type of organization losing funds this way, you use the Web or your church to target money where it helps those who are struggling.